New Video: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis “Can’t Hold Us”

This ain’t a movie dog—or is it? From New Zealand to Los Angeles, Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis capture the flag for The Heist’s latest video. Seattle is officially under new management. Download the album here and read a message from Ryan Lewis after the jump.

It seems like when a music video comes out, the title that receives all of the credit and travels with a film is that of the director. It’s as though the director is the “artist” or “creator” of the music video, when in reality a music video is first a written treatment, produced (putting together ingredients like actors and locations), shot and directed, cut on the editing board and finally color graded. The music might be fine tuned and scored specifically for that film. There are so many variables that are completely equal if not sometimes more complicated than directing, it’s a shame that so much credit comes down to whoever fulfills that position. A director wouldn’t have shit to direct without a producer. A producer would have nothing to produce without a writer, and so forth. 

For our team, I think it’s even more complicated because roles tend to cross over. We simply don’t work within the conventional hierarchy of the film industry (director, producer, etc.) Sure, people have concrete pre-defined roles based on their expertise, but our team has the remarkable ability to wear multiple hats. Can’t Hold Us was a video that showcased this well. 

After three months of shooting, finally getting to those last few frames where you reveal the credits, it’s a tense moment. There isn’t exactly a sensible way to do it, if we’re trying to fit people into classic film roles. It leads me to the point that although we do our best to give people titles, this was a video fully created by seven individuals at the forefront. Take any of those people out of the equation, you’d be watching a very different video. I write this in hopes that you don’t fall under the illusion that one person creates a music video, particularly at the Macklemore camp. We are constantly challenging and enhancing each another’s ideas and I take pride in believing that’s the reason we make great videos. – Ryan Lewis

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  1. Roman got burners forten says:

    If that’s our new management Then consider anarchy just got a raise.

    TRUST ME

    Shits dope.

    206 stay winning

  2. Gambino says:

    Mackle uh uh uh uh more

  3. PsychoBoy says:

    Brian B.Dot™ Miller ‏@bdotTM 15m

    @macklemore & @ryanlewis “Can’t Hold Us” video is the best shit I’ve seen all year. Give them a VMA now

  4. Nathaniel says:

    the odd thing about that whole write up, is that’s exactly how the film industry works. everybody wearing multiple hats, but locked into “titles” due to expertise and for the sake of crediting. i wonder why he’s trying to suggest that they’re doing something vastly different, breaking the mold, and living outside the box….

    oh… *smacks forehead*

    it’s because that’s the propaganda of the macklemore brand.

  5. Roman got burners forten says:

    Oh ur a director now. No more dope game

  6. Batman says:

    Wow man, I dont care if you aint into these guys, you have to respect the grind and the hustle they actually put forward to succeed in this music business. You know write them off because of their skin color, but I am glad to see they finally get the recognition they deserve because we all know Rap Radar is going to have another post in a month about these guys saying “Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: Thrift Shop 6x Platinum”

    But on a side note, B. Dot has to let these niggas breathe! He’s probably excited as hell this shit came out!

  7. Nathaniel says:

    contrived. cultural appropriation at its finest.

  8. Seattle Dude says:

    Our city is hella filthy!!

  9. B.Dot says:

    But on a side note, B. Dot has to let these niggas breathe!
    ^
    I wish everyone was saying this to me when I was bigging up their music before “thrift shop” and The Heist dropped. *Kanye shrug*

  10. dj Cognac says:

    Hip hop aint hip no more.
    *sigh

    “I was hot at the Amoco”

  11. roman forten says:

    kanye shrug

    ive been big upping since drake offered him 6 grand for a verse.

    THINK ABOUT IT

    im not asking for a medal so why is bdot so thirsty?

    acceptance and the pursuit of it come at a price.

    that being said, everymove mack makes is making history right now.

    so hate if you must but this shit is beyond dope, revolutinary, and introspective all at the same day time.
    plus if your relatives and kids are singing and talking about it,

    has to be good for the world

  12. it's the roc says:

    wow, i didn’t think anything would top the wild for the night video but this is easily the best video of the year. i’m just disappointed i didn’t se b.dot’s black ass trudging through the snow. feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme!

  13. Da Business says:

    Can’t front on these dudes, them boys r winning…

    BTW…

    FUCK THE KNICKS!!!

    HEAT NATION STAND UP, IT’S GO TIME!!!!

  14. LuxuryRap says:

    very dope video…i’m sure his budget is crazy

  15. Sgt.Pepper says:

    1 of the greatest music videos ive ever seen. The sheer musicality of this song makes it a win, coupled with this video means rapping in front of yet another fancy car/beautiful woman is mad tired.

    take notes.

  16. mac DIESEL says:

    PRETTY EXPENSIVE VIDEO FOR AN “INDEPENDENT” GROUP!!!! GOOD VIDEO NONETHELESS!!!!

    MACKLEMORE VIDEOS > MACKLEMORE SONGS

    DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!

    1. B.Dot says:

      GOOD VIDEO NONETHELESS!!!!
      ^
      A @Mac DIESEL compliment? Lord Jesus it’s,a fire!

  17. Sgt.Pepper says:

    wheres the B.Dot cameo!!!

    props to B.Dot for promoting quality.

  18. ross radar says:

    b dot been jerking off to this video all morning. how a site can push so much bullshit then support this just goes to show how off balance the culture is. too bad bdot and yn are too spineless to be leaders….they could have changed the culture for the better instead of being bitches and hiding behind “documenting” the culture.

    take note. elliott wants to be a king, not a leader.

    to that i spit in his face and say shame on bdot for hiding in this mans shadow of bullshit.

    CRITCAL COWARDS is what this site should be renamed.

    1. B.Dot says:

      @ross radar aka @ VJTechSupport on Twitter I smelled your underachieving ass through the wifi. Do something important in Miami first then holler at me. In the meantime, thanks for the click.

  19. mac DIESEL says:

    @ B.Dot

    Brian B.Dot™ Miller ‏@bdotTM 15m
    @macklemore & @ryanlewis “Can’t Hold Us” video is the best shit I’ve seen all year. Give them a VMA now

    ^

    GO CHANGE YA UNDERWEAR, BOY!!!! U PROBABLY CREAMED ON YASELF AFTER WATCHIN’ THE VIDEO!!!!

    ……….HA!!!! U DIRTY NIGGA!!!!

    DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!

    1. B.Dot says:

      @Mac DIESEL tell your auntie say “ahhh”.

  20. mac DIESEL says:

    B.Dot says:
    Wednesday, April 17 2013 at 2:40 PM
    @ross radar aka @ VJTechSupport on Twitter I smelled your underachieving ass through the wifi. Do something important in Miami first then holler at me. In the meantime, thanks for the click.

    ^

    OOOHHHHHH SHIT!!!! B.DOT LOOKIN’ UP I.P. ADDRESSES AGAIN!!!!

    ……..HA!!!! B.DOT SHOULD BE WORKIN’ FOR THE FEDS!!!!

    DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!

  21. Donn says:

    Definitely a big budget video but put to good use. Camels in the street, rapping on a pirate ship, running through the woods with French Montana’s coat on. I kinda don’t get it but it was definitely an eyeball’s worth of shit.

    Let’s hope 5yrs down the line they’ll still be here. We’ll see

  22. i can see the bitch in you.

    why nip at these fleas of commentors bdot?

    shouldnt you be just rolling with these big dogs and acting like you dont get bothered by these lil comments brosef

    i mean shit son YOU did big up son since he was on the agency payroll and all

    aint nuthin but bottles popping over here fam

    seattle getting a little shine on DONT HATE

  23. STINKMEANER says:

    so glad they went hard on this song and video, i was afraid these dudes would only be known for thrift shop. this song and video are already better than that. this shit will be bangin for months to come

  24. ck says:

    aight, i’ve seen all the macklemore hate on here, @B.Dot knows his shit. I’ve been listenin to macklemore for the past 2 years, he’s just got better and better. you cant keep hating on him. I mean, how can you say this isnt dope as fuck? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvDQy53eldY

  25. Stuart Scotts eye says:

    Alright I think this just surpassed asap rocky-wild for the night and j cole-power trip for video of the year…DOPE vid and good track

  26. StarFox64 says:

    lol i cant buy into industry generated rappers…

  27. zeee says:

    “here’s a concept that works, 20 million other white rappers emerge” Eminem.
    I cant wait for white people to take another black art form. At least they will do something positive with it and wont be as stupid as Rick Ross and LL Coon J.
    Go white people Go. Look at um go.

  28. Indie Grind says:

    @starfox64 so you can’t buy into seattle indie rappers… MACKLEMORE, LLC.

    lol Fact check: “Can’t Hold Us” was released in 2011 the industry didn’t generate this

  29. eDUB says:

    This and Wild for the night are the two best rap music videos Ive seen in years. Production values were over the top, Macklemore got paid clearly, but compared to anything anyone else is doing with the videos lately, he put it to great use. Dope video.

  30. Hol'Up says:

    This shit Cray!
    One of the best music videos I’ve ever seen.. Not a fan of the song though.. This landed on the album somehow.. Song is like almost 2 years old..
    Shouldnt have been on The Heist (which otherwise is fire), I would’ve put The Otherside in place of this..

  31. smokehouse says:

    lol Ryan Lewis learning about how film production works and telling the world as if they didn’t already fucking know movies and music videos aren’t made by one person.

  32. Hol'Up says:

    B. Dot can’t bear anything against Macklemore…
    YN can’t bear anything against Ross…
    Bet u know it!

  33. Anti-Lolipop Kid says:

    Ah man but he not talking about bitches weed and Molly man. ..

  34. KoldCase says:

    this guy is amazing

  35. the brain trust says:

    One of the best music videos i’ve ever seen.

    Absolutely incredible. I really love seeing artists care about their craft

  36. Cruel Thing says:

    That ending part reminded me of 808 Kanye…

  37. Jimmy says:

    Macklemore is a fuckin GOD.

    SUCK MY DICK, BITCHES!

  38. Jimmy says:

    JIMMY BOUT TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF ON DEEZ INTERWEB SITE BITCHES

    RESPECT THE MOOVMENT BITCHES! YEEAH BOI GET IT INYA

    REPPIN THA NORTH-SOUTH PARRALLEL BITCH!

    – JIMMY 2 G’Z BITCH!

  39. TopNotchNe3gro says:

    Man, I remember when Macklemore dropped his first single and it played Sunday nights on Kube 93. Respect the grind fa’real.

  40. JIMMY 2 G'Z says:

    FUCK U mac DIESEL BITCH!

    JIMMY 2 G’Z

  41. buking says:

    is the black dude the one who sings hook on thrift shop too? whycome he aint get feature credit on this song?! cool song! sounds like kanye produced it.

  42. niner_nation55 says:

    I am soooo tired of hearing stuff about Macklemore being white who gives a shit what his skin color is. Addressing him as “white boy” “white rapper” is just adding fuel to the fire of racism. We’re all human beings and that is 100% the only thing that matters not the color of your skin. Also people like to compare him to Eminem a lot…. just stop. The only reason people have for comparing them is cause of their skin color they sound nothing alike. And Eminem is the only rapper to have 2 albums go diamond so you can put him up easily with the top 5 or 10 rappers/rap groups of all time… Macklemore’s only released one album there is no comparing at all.

  43. Liiife says:

    Does no one else find this slightly racist?

  44. shell says:

    the FACT that Macklemore and Ryan lewis are INDEPENDANT ARTIST shitting on these big label artist is amazing lol

  45. shell says:

    the fact Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are independant artist shitting on big label artist this is amazing lol

  46. […] no stopping Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. After dropping one of the year’s best music videos, the duo’s latest single “Can’t Hold Us” has earned them another platinum […]

  47. […] no stopping Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. After dropping one of the year’s best music videos, the duo’s latest single “Can’t Hold Us” has earned them another platinum […]

  48. Banana Pudding says:

    lmfao B.Dot always the one behind a niggas rise up… get real bro

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